Deceuninck North America is expanding the options it offers customers needing compounding expertise beyond blending, saying it can help make their manufacturing operations more efficient and their products perform better.
Headquartered in Monroe, Ohio, the subsidiary of the Belgium-based Deceunink Group is more widely known for manufacturing vinyl window and door systems and decking and railing for its own brands —Innergy, Revolution and Clubhouse — and other labels.
However, in 2012, the Monroe facility started promoting its ability to develop customized PVC material for extrusion, injection molding and blow molding applications. Now Deceuninck is taking that program to the next level by making available three types of compounding services: mastery custom blends (for proprietary materials), artistry premium blends and efficiency performance blends.
The goal of all three compounding options is to meet specific needs for processing, heat stability, weathering and color consistency but the applications vary. Mastery blend customers could be dealing with composite plastics. The artistry blends are suitable for exterior door and window materials and capstocks for decking, railing and siding. And the efficiency blends seek to improve the everyday performance of “general service PVC material” like siding, windows and decking substrates.
Other services include pharmaceutical-grade blending and on-site pelletization and warehousing. Deceuninck is touting it all as “complete solutions that create real market advantage.”
The company says it holds more than 200 active patents. Employees know how additive systems and their chemistries interact from processing to the end product, according to Filip Geeraert, president and CEO of the North American operation.
“The experience of our material science team working together with some of the world's most innovative additive manufacturers result in compounds that create true value, manufacturing efficiencies and lasting product attributes,” Geeraert said in a news release.
In North America, Deceuninck is trying to convert more new and existing customers to its products and materials while maintaining zero back orders and expanding brand awareness.
“This has resulted in higher than market sales growth,” according to a July 22 release about earnings results for the first half of this year, which increased 42.4 percent to 52.7 million euros ($57.49 million) for the region compared to 2014.
Last year sales for the first quarter were hurt by the harsh winter. The company ended 2014 with sales of $110 million, placing it No. 38 in the rankings of pipe, profile and tubing for North America compiled by Plastics News.
Global results
Worldwide, Deceuninck's sales in 75 countries were up 18.1 percent to 312.1 million euros ($340.5 million) compared to the first half of 2014. Gross profit increased 25.5 percent to 90.7 million euros ($98.95 million).
The double-digit growth in North American sales was second to “Turkey and emerging markets,” which posted sales of 92.4 million euros ($101 million) — an increase of 53 percent. That was due in large part to the 2014 purchase of Pimapen, which is the most recognized brand name for PVC windows in Turkey. The acquisition bolstered sales to about 75 million euros ($81.9 million).
Turkey is Europe's second largest PVC window market and the country serves as Deceuninck's export hub for emerging markets in North Africa, South America and India.
Deceuninck sales were strongest in Western Europe — up 5.5 percent to 101.6 million euros ($111 million). Sales were down 7.2 percent to 65.4 million euros ($71.4 million) in Central and Eastern Europe.
The company describes its global outlook for 2015 as cautious with building and remodeling activity in Europe still “brittle” and PVC “at historic high price levels” even though force majeure was lifted.
